Austin Public Library – Spicewood Springs

Every time I visit this location, the staff are rude and very unfriendly. I just pulled up to the drive through to pick up a book I put on hold for my 6 year old son with my children in the car. The lady told me she wouldn’t give me the book because I didn’t specify I would pick up the book at the drive-​through. I explained that I was a new patron. She told me I had to park the car and come in to pick up the book. I told her she can walk 10 feet and go get the book.

In here every 2 – 3 weeks to check out a new 20 – 30 books to keep my son busy reading.
It’s a pretty great library. I love that the Austin Public Library system is connected online and I can reserve any book in the entire system and it will come to this branch. Their online be catalogue has recently gotten a MUCH needed upgrade, so it’s super easy to reserve books/​renew books. The login used to be crazy clunky and outdated, now it’s what you would expect.
The drive through is awesome. I don’t have to lug the kids in and out to just drop off books. The only weird thing I’ve experienced is that it’s been confusing on what books/​media I could or couldn’t pick up from the drive through. I would reserve an audio book online, but told at the drive through that I had to come inside to get it. I don’t understand.
Lastly, the librarians are what you’d expect from an Austin library… They’re super cool and trendy. Sorry, the librarian stereotype is a «shushing» frumpy old lady and many of these librarians are very young, trendy looking and engaging people. Super fun!

Yes I still have a library card. I like to read and books are expensive! This is one of my favorite libraries in Austin. Everything is easy to find, and it even has a drive thru if you want to pick up your on hold books to go or drop off your books when you’re through with them.
I always forget when it’s closed, so sometimes I end up going on the wrong day but it’s so close to my apartment so it’s convenient whenever.
I like to browse the books online then put holds on them so I can walk straight to the hold rack to grab my books. They have this new scanner too that you can stack all your books together instead of scanning each one. I’m still getting used to that though.
I highly recommend the e-​books they offer online as well.